Il-ħatriet tal-Gvern …………… logħba ċess

Dak li jiġri f’dan il-pajjiż mhux dejjem jinftiehem.

Uħud minn dawk li l-Gvern immexxi mill-Partit Laburista appunta f’xi ħatra ġew ikkritikati għax jew dehru f’xi billboard inkella għax kienu jappoġġaw lill-partit b’mod miftuħ.  Kritika li fl-opinjoni tiegħi hi waħda redikola. Bħal dak li qallu li mhux kull Gvern (f’dan il-pajjiż) iħares l-ewwel u qabel kollox lejn il-lealta’ politika tal-parti l-kbira ta’ dawk li jaħtar. Anke Lawrence Gonzi mexa b’dan il-mod. Imma l-memorja ta’ bosta hi qasira ħafna. Kultant huma ħafna selettivi f’dak li jiftakru.

Mela lil dawk li dehru fuq il-billboards jgħidulhom li ma messhomx inħatru. Lil dawk li jappoġġaw lill-Gvern jgħidulhom li nħatru biex jitħallsu tal-appoġġ li taw.

U lil bqija?

Mhux kull ħatra li saret ġiet ikkritikata. Anzi uħud mill-ħatriet gew imfaħħra. Bħal dawk ta’ l-Imħallef Giovanni Bonello u l-Professur Oliver Friggieri.

Hemm diversi mill-ħatriet li ħadd ma lissen kelma dwarhom. Dan hu sewwa għax il-parti l-kbira tal-persuni li nħatru (irrispettivament mill-fehmiet politiċi tagħhom) huma persuni serji, kompetenti f’xogħolhom u leali lejn pajjiżna li lkoll nixtiequh aħjar. Għandhom ikunu iġġudikati fuq dak li jagħmlu fil-ħatra u mhux fuq dak li naħsbu dwarhom. Anke jekk hu  ċar li uħud mill-ħatriet ma nafx kif tista’ tiġġustfikhom, bħal dik ta’ William Mangion!

Minħabba l-performance tagħhom fil-pubbliku fis-snin li għaddew naħseb li kemm il-ħatra ta’ Lou Bondì kif ukoll  dik ta’ Jason Micallef kienu żbaljati. Huma ħatriet li jagħtu messaġġ żbaljat. Il-messaġġ li jifhmu in-nies fit-triq hu differenti minn dak li qed jipprova jfiehem Joseph Muscat.

Jason Micallef huwa bniedem tal-partit u l-ħatra tiegħu hi parti mil-logħba ċess li tintlagħab fil-politika kontinwament. Jason Micallef hu wieħed minn dawk il-persuni li Joseph Muscat ma setax ma jaħtarx x’imkien. Dak li ġara fil-Partit Laburista matul dawn l-aħħar ħames snin, inkluż meta seħħet l-abolizzjoni tal-kariga ta’ Segretarju Ġenerali tal-partit biex ġie mtajjar min-nofs Jason Micallef hi prova ta’ dan. Mhux neċessarjament l-aħħar mossa ta’ Muscat.

Il-ħatra ta’ Lou Bondì hi iktar ikkumplikata. Saru diversi kummenti dwarha. Minkejja li kummentaturi bħal Daphne Caruana Galizia qalu li Lou Bondì messu bagħat lil Joseph Muscat jixxejjer dan ma bagħtux. Lou Bondì daqsxejn iktar intelliġenti minn hekk u qed jilgħab il-logħba taċ-ċess hu ukoll. Hi mossa li inevitabilment ser toħrog Lou Bondì differenti minn dak li jidher fuq l-iscreen tat-televiżjoni.

Niftakru ukoll li kien Lawrence Gonzi li ppropona l-ħatra ta’ George Abela bħala President tar-Repubblika.  Ħatra li jekk inkunu onesti magħna infusna qeda b’mod tajjeb u ftit hemm x’tikkritika fl-imġieba tiegħu.

Nistennew u naraw il-mossi li jmiss.

Fil-mera

Qed naqra dak li qalet Ann Fenech dwar l-aħħar elezzjoni ġenerali. Qed naqra ir-rapport tat-Times online il-lejla (l-ħamis fil-għaxija).

Kull wieħed mill-mijiet ta’ punti imniżżla fid-dokument (ir-rapport tat-telfa),  hi rappurtata li qalet Ann Fenech,  intuża mill-votanti bħala skuża jew ġustifikazzjoni biex jevita li jivvota PN jew inkella biex jimxi pass ieħor u jivvota Labour.

Dan hu mod mill-iktar arroganti kif tħares lejn ir-riżultat tal-elezzjoni.

B’mod ġenerali l-argument ta’ Ann Fenech hu li kellna l-aħjar Gvern li qatt kellna u l-votanti injoraw il-ġid li sar lill-pajjiż u kienu egoisti.

Li ma tgħidx Ann Fenech qalu Carm Mifsud Bonnici iktar kmieni fil-Malta Independent, nhar it-Tnejn 3 ta’ Ġunju 2013 f’intervista intitolata The Writing has been on the Wall since 2009 .

Carm Mifsud Bonnici jagħti uħud mir-raġunijiet li Ann Fenech tiskarta. Lawrence Gonzi, jgħidilna Carm fi ftit kliem, ma kienx kapaċi jmexxi. Jgħidilna ukoll li kien hemm membri tal-Kabinett li aġixxew qiesu l-PN kellu maġġoranza ta’ ħames siġġijiet.  Jiġifieri kienu arroganti.

Ir-raġunijiet għat-telfa, jiġifieri, malajr tista’ issibhom. Kull ma għandu jagħmel il-PN hu li jħares ftit fil-mera.

Altru li flimkien kollox possibli.

Il-Kostituzzjoni: x’ser nagħmlu?

Attendejt għall-Forum tal-President dwar il-Kostituzzjoni illum il-Ħamis 25 t’April fil-għaxija.

Hemm diversi emendi meħtieġa għall-Kostituzzjoni. Alternattiva Demokratika fil-fatt, fil-programm elettorali ta’ Marzu li għadda tispjega fid-dettall bosta mill-emendi li naraw meħtieġa.

Forsi l-iktar punt bażiku li ninsistu dwaru f’Alternattiva Demokratika hu li l-Kostituzzjoni hi tan-nies u mhux biss tal-politiċi. Punt li jagħmlu ukoll il-Partit Laburista permezz tal-proposta tiegħu ta’ Konvenzjoni Kostituzzjonali.

Waqt il-Forum tal-President illum, f’messaġġ permezz ta’ email Lawrence Gonzi Kap tal-Opposizzjoni qal li l-PN jidhirlu li għandu jkun Kumitat Magħżul tal-Kamra (Select Committee) li għandu jkollu l-inkarigu biex iħejji għall-emendi Kostituzzjonali.

Għalkemm jikkuntrastaw jiena ma narax li hemm kontradizzjoni bejn il-posizzjoni tal-partiti. Qegħdin fil-fatt jemfasizzaw l-importanza ta’ stadji differenti tad-dibattitu pubbliku.

Alternattiva Demokratika u l-Partit Laburista qed jemfasizzaw li l-proposti għandhom jinbnew mill-egħruq tas-soċjeta fil-waqt li l-Partit Nazzjonalista qed jinsisti li l-Parlament għandu jżomm kontroll. L-emfasi li qed jagħmel il-Partit Nazzjonalista mhux daqstant dwar l-involviment tas-soċjeta ċivili imma dwar ir-rwol ta’ Franco Debono, għalkemm fl-email ta’ Lawrence Gonzi ma jissemmiex. (ara rapport fit-Times online hawn).

Fl-aħħar, it-tibdil Kostituzzjonali li jkun hemm qbil dwaru irid jikseb l-approvazzjoni tal-Parlament. Fil-parti l-kbira l-emendi jkunu jeħtieġu l-approvazzjoni ta’ żewġ terzi tal-Membri Parlamentari. F’xi każi maġġoranza sempliċi tkun biżżejjed. Għal din ir-raġuni tattika biss hu ċar li ma kienx għaqli da parti ta’ Joseph Muscat li jappunta lil Franco Debono biex jikkordina l-Konvenzjoni Kostituzzjonali. Tajjeb kemm hu tajjeb, bħala riżultat ta’ kif żviluppaw l-affarijiet tul l-aħħar ħames snin ma tantx ser jibni pontijiet. Il-preġudizzju li nżera’ għadu jinħass u jrid jgħaddi żmien sew biex jittaffa.

Dan ser jitfa’ dell fuq kif il-proċess ser jiżviluppa. Imma m’huwiex awgurju tajjeb.

Anke’ l-baħar tagħna ilkoll

Mela l-Gvern ta’ Joseph qalilna li l-art li għandna f’Malta, Għawdex u Kemmuna mhux biżżejjed. Hemm bżonn inkabbru.  Għalhekk jista’ jkun hemm bżonn li noħolqu gżejjer oħra fil-baħar. Land reclamation.

Rapporti dwar dan diġa saru. Fl-2005 u fl-2007 mill-MEPA. Jeżaminaw sew u fid-dettall. Jistabilixxu b’mod ġenerali l-impatti li l-ħolqien ta’ dawn il-gżejjer jistgħu joħolqu.

Jiena mhux qiegħed nikkundanna dak li qed jingħad u dan kuntrarjament għal dak li għoġobhom jgħidu dawk li f’daqqa waħda saru ambjentalisti. Li qiegħed ngħid hu li jekk il-Gvern fi ħsiebu jibqa’ għaddej b’din l-idea, ta’ l-inqas għandu jagħmel  l-affarijiet sewwa. B’dan il-mod kullħadd ikollu għajnejħ miftuħin beraħ u allura jkun jista’ jifhem il-jekk u l-kif tal-ħsara li tista’ issir. Kemm dik ekoloġika kif ukoll dik ekonomika.

L-ewwel nett l-affarijiet għandhom isiru bi pjan ċar liema pjan għandu jitħejja mill-Gvern,  mhux mill-kuntratturi jew kif isejħu lilhom infushom bil-pulit illum: l-iżviluppaturi.

Gvern li jkun tagħna lkoll jitkellem magħna lkoll qabel ma jfassal pjan jew strateġija ta’ x’inhuma dawk l-iżviluppi li għalihom m’għandniex spazju fuq l-art.  Għax tagħna lkoll, il-pjan jew l-istrateġija li jfassal jiddiskutihom magħna lkoll f’dik li nsejħula konsultazzjoni pubblika.

Gvern tagħna lkoll jisma’ dak li għadna xi ngħidu aħna lkoll u jqiesu sewwa qabel ma jiddeċiedi. Meta imbagħad ikun ċar fejn irid jasal Gvern tagħna lkoll jara xi ħsara tista’ issir. Iqis ir-rapporti li diġa saru u jekk ikun hemm bżonn jgħarbel iktar biex ikun żgur dwar xi ħsara tista’ issir. Jekk il-ħsara li jsir jaf biha ma jkunx jista’ jsib tarf tagħha, jaħsibha darbtejn.

Għax Gvern serju jaf li anke’ l-baħar huwa tagħna ilkoll.

Il-Ministri u l-Kodiċi ta’ Etika tagħhom

Nitbissem meta nisma’ il-PN jitkellem dwar il-Kodiċi tal-Etika tal-Ministri u d-deċiżjoni ta’ Joseph Muscat dwar Franco Mercieca.

Nifhem li mhux deċiżjoni faċli la għal Joseph Muscat u l-anqas għal Franco Mercieca. Hi deċiżjoni li għal perjodu ta’ transizzjoni tista’ tkun ġustifikata imma b’mod permanenti ma naħsibx li tkun korretta.

Il-kritika tal-PN dwar il-mod kif qed ikun “injorat” il-Kodiċi tal-Etika tal-Ministri kont neħodha bis-serjeta’ li kieku l-Gvern immexxi minn Lawrence Gonzi applika dan il-Kodiċi sewwa. Per eżempju għalfejn Lawrence Gonzi ma sab l-ebda diffikulta li jħalli lil Tonio Fenech dakinnhar Ministru isiefer biex jara logħba tal-Arsenal fuq jet privat (bla ħlas) ma’ nies tal-business meta skond il-Kodiċi tal-Etika dan ma setax iseħħ?

Waqt il-kampanja elettorali kienu qalulna li Tonio Fenech kien skuża ruħu u li l-każ kien magħluq.

Din is-serjeta’ tal-PN!

Xogħol il-Membru tal-Parlament

Il-Gvern permezz ta’ diversi dikjarazzjonijiet tal-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat repetutament qed jgħid li jrid jinvolvi lill-Membri tal-Parlament taż-żewġ naħat tal-Kamra fil-ħidma tal-Gvern.

Dan nissel reazzjonijiet diversi inkluż, u b’mod partikolari, mill-Opposizzjoni. Il-bieraħ fil-fatt Simon Busuttil Viċi Kap tal-PN qal li l-Opposizzjoni mhiex ser tinxtara. Dan qalu kemm fil-Parlament kif ukoll fl-artiklu tiegħu ta’ kull ġimgħa fit-Times intitolat A flawed “executive” offer .

Xogħol il-Membru tal-Parlament hu fil-Parlament. Jiġifieri jagħmel il-liġijiet u jgħarbel il-ħidma tal-Eżekuttiv. Minflok iżda qed tiġi żviluppata l-idea li dawk il-Membri Parlamentari li mhumiex Ministri jew Segretarji Parlamentari jkun aħjar jekk jinstabilhom xi ħaġa biex ikollhom biex jgħaddu l-ħin għax inkella jsibu huma l-mezz biex jgħaddu l-ħin. Il-konsegwenzi ta’ dan ma jkun xejn pjaċevoli kif jaf sewwa Lawrence Gonzi!

Din m’hiex xi ħaġa li ivvinta Joseph Muscat. Esperimentaw biha l-Prim Ministri kollha ta’ qablu. Kemm Mintoff fis-snin sebgħin kif ukoll Gonzi fis-snin li għadhom kif għaddew fittxew modi kif jokkupaw il-ħin tal-Membri Parlamentari. Mintoff u Gonzi din għamluha mal-Membri Parlamentari tal-Gvern li kienu jmexxu. Joseph Muscat qed jipprova jifrex il-ħsieb iktar minn hekk u jsib applikazzjoni tiegħu mal-Opposizzjoni ukoll.

Naħseb li l-idea hi fil-prinċipju żbaljata. Għax il-kapaċita u l-kompetenza ta’ kull Membru Parlamentari għandha tkun applikata fil-ħidma tal-Parlament.

L-ewwel nett fil-ħidma diretta tal-Kamra u l-kumitati tagħha, fil-parteċpazzjoni fid-dibatti dwar liġijiet u l-politika tal-oqsma differenti. It-tieni fis-sorveljanza tal-ħidma tal-Gvern inkluż fil-mod kif jaħdmu l-awtoritajiet: kif jonfqu l-fondi allokati kif ukoll kif titfassal u tiġi applikata l-politika fl-oqsma differenti.

Fost oħrajn il-Parlament għandu jkun full-time. Jiġifieri l-Membri Parlamentari għandhom jokkupaw il-ħin kollu tagħhom fil-Parlament. Jekk u meta jagħmlu dan m’għandix dubju li jsibu ħafna x’jagħmlu. Wisq nibża’ iżda li la l-PN u l-anqas il-PL ma jixtiequ dan għax jekk il-Parlament jiġi f’posizzjoni li jagħmel xogħolu aħjar ikun diffiċli ħafna iktar li xi rokna tal-ħidma tal-Gvern tibqa’ mistura.

Din hi l-problema reali li qed jaffronta Joseph Muscat. Iffaċċja qablu Lawrence Gonzi. Kemm Muscat kif ukoll Gonzi jaħsbu li jkun għaqli li l-Membru Parlamentari jinżamm okkupat. Bħala riżultat t’hekk il-ħidma tal-Gvern tkun mgħarbla ħafna inqas milli hu neċessarju.

PN : iż-żerriegħa tat-telfa

It-telfa elettorali tal-PN nhar id-9 ta’ Marzu ma ġietx f’daqqa. Ilha hemm. Is-sinjali ilhom jidhru għal min ried jarahom.

Dawn is-sinjali ġew injorati sforz l-arroganza li matul dawn l-aħħar snin kienet il-mutur ewlieni tat-tmexxija tal-PN.

F’Marzu 2008 l-PN ingħata warning meta rebaħ l-elezzjoni bi sbrixx: bi ftit inqas minn 1600. Dak il-warning il-PN ma tax każ tiegħi. Minflok ma daħal f’qoxortu l-PN immexxi minn Lawrence Gonzi żied id-doża tal-arroganza tiegħu.

F’Marzu 2008 l-PN seta jibda l-proċess biex jitnaddaf. Biex isewwi l-ħsara. Iżda minflok baqa’ għaddej bħal bulldowzer minn fuq kulħadd.

Jiena irreżenjajt mill-PN f’Jannar 2008. M’għandi l-ebda dispjaċir. Dakinnhar  u fil-ġimghat ta’ wara l-PN seta janalizza x’ġara u kieku ried kellu l-għodda biex isib ir-rimedji. Mhux bil-paroli iżda bil-fatti. Billi jwarrab l-arroganza. Minflok iżda, żied id-doża.

Minflok flimkien kollox possibli l-PN għażel triq oħra. Triq li jqis lil kull min ried inaddaf u jsewwi bħala għadu.  Mill-mument li għażel dik it-triq it-tkaxkira kienet inevitabbli.

X’fehem Michael Gonzi?

Michael Gonzi fehem eżattament x’ġara. Hekk ta’ l-inqas qalilna fil-blogpost tieghu intitolat Analysis of Defeat bid-data tas-16 ta’ Marzu 2013.

Il-PN, jgħidilna Michael Gonzi f’din il-blogpost, tilef l-elezzjoni għax il-votanti kellhom l-impressjoni li l-Gvern kien inkompetenti (“The perception of an incompetent government.”)

Michael jgħidilna li l-votanti injoraw il-ġid kbir li għamel ħuħ Lawrence u iddeċidew a bażi ta’  affarijiet żgħar (the micro-elements).

Naħseb li Michael qed jgħix f’dinja oħra għax kieku kien jirrifletti ftit fuq il-kliem tad-deheb “Flimkien kollox possibli” forsi jifhem ftit li dak il-“flimkien” ma fisser xejn matul il-ħames snin li għaddew.

Nissuggerixxi lil Michael Gonzi biex jaqra ftit artiklu miktub minn Simon Busuttil fit-Times ta’ Malta tat-12 ta’ Marzu 2008 bit-titlu All together now.

B’idu fuq il-kuxjenza Michael jista’ jipprova jiżen ftit u jgħarbel. L-aħħar sentenza tal-artiklu ta’ Busuttil tgħid kollox: “We are one country, one nation and one family. And the onus lies on the winners to make sure there are no losers. To reach out and rope people in.”

Jidher li Michael għadu ma fehem xejn!

A Voice for 5,500 votes

The Green Vote in last week’s general elections increased by 45% over the 2008 polls. Alternattiva Demokratika candidates polled a total of 5,506 votes: a 1.8% share of the national vote.  But these voters have no voice in the newly elected Parliament.

We have heard during the past days of the constitutional mechanisms which restore proportionality in Parliament between votes cast in the general election and the parliamentary strength of the political parties. Malta’s electoral system guarantees proportionality but only for the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party.  Our parliamentary democracy must be based on fairness, and the current state of affairs is anything but fair.

The fact that 5,500 voters chose to be represented by Alternattiva Demokratika is a bold political statement. Every voter has the right to be represented. That is what representative democracy is about. It is useless to emphasise that we should all work together and simultaneously ignore such a statement. The voice of these 5,500 Maltese citizens should be heard loud and clear. They are subject to the same duties and responsibilities as the other voters who are represented. They are subject to the same laws and pay the same taxes.

It is a basic principle of parliamentary democracy that there should be no taxation without representation. This constitutional principle was forcefully made 800 years ago in the Magna Carta  in 1215 when the British monarchy was forced to relinquish part of its absolute powers laying the foundations for the formation of the mother of democratic Parliaments at Westminister. This constitutional principle signifies that Parliament derives its moral and legal authority from its being representative. Being representative gives Parliament its moral authority to legislate. Our Parliament is in fact aptly called the House of Representatives.

AD voters demand that their right to be represented is respected.  This respect can only be manifested if their choices made on the 9th March 2013 are translated into effective representation in the House of Representatives. The House as presently constituted does not represent the 5,500 AD voters as none of the MPs elected are authorised to speak on their behalf.

Throughout the years Parliament has discussed electoral reform many a time. It has tweaked the system through the introduction of constitutional amendments in 1987, 1996 and 2007. The electoral system is certainly much better today than it was in 1981. The amendments then were required but they only addressed the interests of major political parties and their voters. The interests of voters opting for democratic change outside the two party system was conveniently ignored.

The constant message sent by the PN and the PL that change is only possible through the two large parties has been constantly rejected by a small but significant number of voters. We speak of democratic change as ultimately accepting the will of the majority. This however does not include the suffocation of minorities irrespective of their size. But this is what has been done throughout the years.

In Malta’s political history there was a time when both the PN and the PL were small in size and almost insignificant.

The Labour Party was represented in Malta’s Parliament by one solitary MP, Sir Paul Boffa, in the pre-war years. It was a political party organised outside and in opposition to the two-party system. It prevailed throughout the years and proved the power of the ballot to defy the two party system.

Likewise the Nationalist Party was small and insignificant in the post-war years when the Labour Party under the leadership of Sir Paul Boffa achieved the largest electoral landslide (59%) ever registered by a political party in Malta. Yet it was possible for the PN to rise once more from being a party of insignificant size to a major political force.

In view of the above the declarations of Labour MP Evarist Bartolo that AD’s 5,500 voters should be represented in Parliament in a truly democratic system is welcome. Evarist Bartolo has been consistent in his position as he made similar statements in 2008. Unfortunately then, Parliament’s Select Committee entrusted with considering constitutional changes to reinforce democratic governance did not function.

Alternattiva Demokratika also welcomes the statements made by the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that the matter should be addressed.

The changes to the electoral system also require the support of the Nationalist Party which has not expressed itself on the matter, even though a number of its electoral candidates have already expressed their support publicly.

It is time to stand up and be counted. AD has always been available to cooperate and present its proposals as it has done continuously. But voters also demand that AD be respected and its electoral strength duly represented in Parliament. To date those voting AD have had their voice suffocated. We await government’s reactions which will hopefully indicate that it really believes that the will of all voters is respected.

originally published in The Times of Malta on Saturday 16 March 2013

Public appointments and Parliament’s responsibilities

Two press conferences yesterday evening placed more information relative to the oil commissions scandal in the public domain, just a few hours after two other businessmen were arraigned in Court.

With four men in court on charges of corruption, bribery and money laundering the two press conferences resulted in various other declarations which would result in a queue of resignations in any civilised country.

There seems to be anticipated delight in the pot calling the kettle black.

In this scenario, a number of omissions by those elected to Parliament over the years assume additional significance.

One undoubtedly queries the lack of a Whistleblowers Act which if enacted in accordance with electoral commitments would have established long ago clear parameters to be followed by those divulging information on economic crime (corruption, bribery and money laundering). In its absence we are still dependent of the elected politicians’ use of the instrument of “state evidence” on the basis of ad hoc criteria.

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday focused on another important point: the manner in which appointments to public office are made. To date the powers of Parliament  have been usurped and transferred to Cabinet such that it is the Prime Minister or his Minsters who appoint  members of Boards or Authorities.

Parliament should reclaim its responsibilities as it should be Parliament that should decide on the appointment of Boards and Authorities of a national importance. Nominated members  of Boards of Public Authorities as well as the senior officials of such Authorities should be scrutinised by Parliament either directly or through its committees in order to ascertain that those nominated can truely serve the country and not the political interests of the political party in government.

Parliament should moreover be in a position to monitor the functions of Boards and Authorities on a continuous basis and should seek explanations from the Boards of Public Authorities and their Senior Executives on their method of operation. Parliament should ensure that whenever the operations of any public authority are scutinised by the Ombudsman his recommendations and their implementation should be discussed by Parliament.

Parliament should reclaim back from government its role of overseeer of the governance of public institutions. Unfortunately over the years a two-party Parliament has siphoned off Parliament’s responsibilities and assigned them to a government made out of just one political party.

AD in Parliament will ensure that Parliament reclaims back its functions and holds government to account continuously.

Originally published in di-ve.com on 22nd February 2013